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Mayor slams Government over council’s funding cut

This article is from page 15 of the 2007-12-25 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 15 JPG

REAL pressure will be on Clare County Council to provide and de- liver quality services next year fol- lowing news that the authority will receive less than the national average increase in funding from the Local Government Fund for 2008.

Local authorities were informed this week what they could expect from the fund in 2008.

Clare County Council will receive a 5.13 per cent increase in funding which, although 4.5 per cent more than its final allocation for 2007, is still below the national average in- crease for town councils, county councils and borough councils for 2008. Ennis Town Council will get funding just above the national aver- age.

Mayor of Clare Patricia McCarthy said, “It is extremely disappointing that Clare is not to receive even the

average of 5.4 per cent from the Gov- ernment local government fund for Local Authorities. 5.1 per cent rep- resents a reduction in real terms and fails to match the increased services

and operating costs of the council.

“This will place real pressure on the council’s ability to provide and deliver quality services to the pub- lic. Government cannot continue to expect the council to take on more and more responsibility without pro- viding the necessary funds to do so. Further Government departments must meet their obligations and pay for services that the council pays for and provides on their behalf,” the mayor said.

Mayor McCarthy added, “The council is obliged to pay its credi- tors within 30 days or incur interest charges. It’s a pity that Government does not incur the same penalties when it fails to deliver prompt pay- ment for services rendered by the council.”

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